The Orioles have announced that they have trimmed their spring roster to 53 -- with 15 nonroster invitees -- by optioning catcher Michael Ohlman and left-hander Tim Berry to Double-A Bowie while reassigning catcher Brian Ward to minor league camp. Berry and Ohlman are on the club's 40-man roster; Ward was a spring training invitee. Ohlman, 23, had a breakout minor league season last year in High-A Frederick, hitting .313 with 13 homers in 100 games while earning the Carolina League Player of the Year honors.

CHICAGO -- The Orioles will play against two familiar faces in their three-game series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field this weekend. Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta is scheduled to start Friday's series opener, and left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada is set to start Sunday. Arrieta, who was traded to the Cubs along with reliever Pedro Strop in July 2013 for right-hander Scott Feldman and catcher Steve Clevenger, has emerged as the Cubs' ace. Arrieta struggled to maintain consistency with the Orioles, but he is 6-4 with a 2.61 ERA in 19 starts this season.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles pitching prospect Tim Berry's ascension from 50th-round pick to the organization's 40-man roster is a remarkable one. But when you hear the 22-year-old talk about his progress - and how realistic and mature he seems to be about his bright future - it doesn't seem so surprising. The left-hander is one of the Orioles organization's high risers. Following a year at high Class-A Frederick in which he went 11-7 with a 3.85 ERA on the season and won nine of his last 13 decisions, Berry was dominant in the Arizona Fall League, pitching to a 1.84 ERA in 14 2/3 innings.

Last week's deal between the Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics, which sent pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to Oakland for a prospect package that included top 10 prospect Addison Russell, kicked off baseball's trade season in spectacular fashion. This week, we'll go through the Orioles system level by level and highlight players of value who could have new homes by the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline if the Orioles want to make a move. Like the Orioles' Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk, the Orioles Double-A affiliate in Bowie has a handful of valuable players amid a lineup of veteran minor leaguers and organizational filler.

Lots of roster stuff from the Orioles today. Right-hander Kevin Gausman is in Baltimore and will start Saturday's game against the Oakland Athletics. He will make his second start of the season for the Orioles, and it will be against another recent first-rounder, the Athletics' Sonny Gray. Gausman, the club's first-round pick (fourth overall) in 2012, is getting the call because righty Miguel Gonzalez has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique. Gonzalez will pitch one game at a minor league affilaite, either Double-A Bowie or High-A Frederick, at some point next week, and could return to the Orioles to pitch between June 15 annd June 17, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.

MINNEAPOLIS - Right-handed reliever Brad Brach will join the Orioles here Friday and be recalled from Triple-A Norfolk before the team's series opener against the Minnesota Twins, according to an industry source. Brach will give the club some much-needed bullpen depth following Thursday's doubleheader. He'll replace right-hander Evan Meek, who was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after Thursday's second game. Brach threw 16 pitches in one inning of relief on Thursday for Norfolk - allowing one unearned run and one hit - but he is expected to be available to pitch Friday out of the pen. On the season, Brach is 2-1 with a 4.85 ERA in 13 innings over 12 appearances.

Parker Bridwell came two outs shy of a no-hitter Tuesday night for High-A Frederick, headlining a night of impressive pitching performances in the club's farm system. Bridwell, 22, struck out eight batters and didn't allow a base runner until a walk in the sixth inning of the Keys' 7-0 win over Potomac. He ended the night with two walks in 8 1/3 innings, and left the game after allowing a one-out base hit in the ninth to Nationals second baseman Tony Renda. Bridwell, the Orioles' ninth-round pick in 2010, signed for $625,000 but has yet to put together much success.

After the Orioles' doubleheader sweep, manager Buck Showalter said pitching prospect Kevin Gausman was dealing with chest tightness Thursday at Triple-A Norfolk and was diagnosed with an intercostal muscle strain. Gausman, 23, will miss at least one start and, if it doesn't improve, he could end up on the minor league disabled list. He is 0-1 with a 2.53 ERA in five starts for the Tides. In his last game April 26, Gausman was limited to just 75 pitches and 4 2/3 scoreless innings.

Orioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique muscle Friday, plans for his time on the DL to be short. Gonzalez is slated to throw a bullpen on Sunday or Monday, and said he hopes to make a minor league rehab start at either Class-A Frederick or Double-A Bowie by midweek. The DL move on Gonzalez is retroactive to May 31, so he would be eligible to return June 15. “I think that's the best thing we could have done,” Gonzalez said.

CHICAGO -- The Orioles will play against two familiar faces in their three-game series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field this weekend. Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta is scheduled to start Friday's series opener, and left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada is set to start Sunday. Arrieta, who was traded to the Cubs along with reliever Pedro Strop in July 2013 for right-hander Scott Feldman and catcher Steve Clevenger, has emerged as the Cubs' ace. Arrieta struggled to maintain consistency with the Orioles, but he is 6-4 with a 2.61 ERA in 19 starts this season.

Orioles right-hander Bud Norris said he is "a little bummed out" about being placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a right groin strain, but he said he understands that the club is best served when he is healthy. “I want to do my job. I just want to pitch every fifth day and win as many ballgames as I can and stay healthy,” Norris said. “I'm a little bummed out about it, but I've got to take care of it and get back out there as soon as I can.” Norris, who has been the club's most consistent and effective starter this season, left Saturday's game at Yankee Stadium before the sixth inning with tightness in his right groin.

Orioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique muscle Friday, plans for his time on the DL to be short. Gonzalez is slated to throw a bullpen on Sunday or Monday, and said he hopes to make a minor league rehab start at either Class-A Frederick or Double-A Bowie by midweek. The DL move on Gonzalez is retroactive to May 31, so he would be eligible to return June 15. “I think that's the best thing we could have done,” Gonzalez said.

Lots of roster stuff from the Orioles today. Right-hander Kevin Gausman is in Baltimore and will start Saturday's game against the Oakland Athletics. He will make his second start of the season for the Orioles, and it will be against another recent first-rounder, the Athletics' Sonny Gray. Gausman, the club's first-round pick (fourth overall) in 2012, is getting the call because righty Miguel Gonzalez has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique. Gonzalez will pitch one game at a minor league affilaite, either Double-A Bowie or High-A Frederick, at some point next week, and could return to the Orioles to pitch between June 15 annd June 17, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said.

Parker Bridwell came two outs shy of a no-hitter Tuesday night for High-A Frederick, headlining a night of impressive pitching performances in the club's farm system. Bridwell, 22, struck out eight batters and didn't allow a base runner until a walk in the sixth inning of the Keys' 7-0 win over Potomac. He ended the night with two walks in 8 1/3 innings, and left the game after allowing a one-out base hit in the ninth to Nationals second baseman Tony Renda. Bridwell, the Orioles' ninth-round pick in 2010, signed for $625,000 but has yet to put together much success.

After the Orioles' doubleheader sweep, manager Buck Showalter said pitching prospect Kevin Gausman was dealing with chest tightness Thursday at Triple-A Norfolk and was diagnosed with an intercostal muscle strain. Gausman, 23, will miss at least one start and, if it doesn't improve, he could end up on the minor league disabled list. He is 0-1 with a 2.53 ERA in five starts for the Tides. In his last game April 26, Gausman was limited to just 75 pitches and 4 2/3 scoreless innings.

MINNEAPOLIS - Right-handed reliever Brad Brach will join the Orioles here Friday and be recalled from Triple-A Norfolk before the team's series opener against the Minnesota Twins, according to an industry source. Brach will give the club some much-needed bullpen depth following Thursday's doubleheader. He'll replace right-hander Evan Meek, who was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after Thursday's second game. Brach threw 16 pitches in one inning of relief on Thursday for Norfolk - allowing one unearned run and one hit - but he is expected to be available to pitch Friday out of the pen. On the season, Brach is 2-1 with a 4.85 ERA in 13 innings over 12 appearances.

UPDATE (5:15 p.m. Thursday): Kevin Gausman was scratched from his start for Triple-A Norfolk on Thursday in case the Orioles need him for a potential doubleheader in Detroit this weekend. Right-hander Eddie Gamboa will start in his place. ORIGINAL POST Two of the Orioles' top three pitching prospects will make their 2014 season debut tonight as the organization's four full-season minor league affiliates play their first games. Right-hander Kevin Gausman -- the second-best prospect in the organization, according to Baseball America -- will start for Triple-A Norfolk in the 7:05 p.m. game at Harbor Park against Charlotte, an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez -- No. 3 on Baseball America's list of top Orioles prospects -- will pitch for Double-A Bowie in the 6:35 p.m. game at Prince George's Stadium against Harrisburg, an affiliate of the Washington Nationals.

A cast of minor league veterans and intriguing prospects are hitting the cover off the ball for Double-A Bowie, including first base prospect Christian Walker and outfielder Dariel Alvarez. Walker, despite not being on the 40-man roster and being behind Norfolk first baseman Brett Wallace on the proverbial depth chart, is being mentioned in some circles as an internal candidate to replace an injured Chris Davis in the short term. That speculation is likely premature, given his relative inexperience and the Orioles' 40-man situation.

A cast of minor league veterans and intriguing prospects are hitting the cover off the ball for Double-A Bowie, including first base prospect Christian Walker and outfielder Dariel Alvarez. Walker, despite not being on the 40-man roster and being behind Norfolk first baseman Brett Wallace on the proverbial depth chart, is being mentioned in some circles as an internal candidate to replace an injured Chris Davis in the short term. That speculation is likely premature, given his relative inexperience and the Orioles' 40-man situation.

TORONTO - Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy said he isn't 100 percent recovered from his strained right hamstring, but he's healthy enough to return to the lineup. Hardy returned to the lineup Wednesday against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre after missing the past two games with the injury. He left the Orioles' 6-5 loss Sunday to the Boston Red Sox in the seventh inning and later said he initially felt the strain while running the bases in the fifth. Hardy said Wednesday that he still has some tightness in the muscle, but it has improved dramatically in the past 48 hours.